A Dozen Roses
by Kit Katt
Summary: Sweet 6x9 romance. Please R&R.


A Dozen Roses  
By Death Goddess (raven380@mailcity.com)  
Rated: PG  
  
Disclaimer at the end.  
  
Lt. Noin stepped into her apartment, shut the door, and wearily   
flopped onto the bed. She was exhausted. Those teenage boys were attacking   
the base more often now, and the OZ army was exhausted. Noin got up and   
went to her mini cooler for a drink. It was empty. She groaned tiredly and   
plodded out down to the barracks lounge to get a can of green tea. She'd   
rather have a soda, but tea was all there was in the lounge.  
  
Noin glanced at the selection, chose a bottle, and sat back in a chair.   
Maybe she'd rest before going back to her room. The lounge was deserted,   
since most of the MS pilots were either in bed or their showers. Oh, it was   
quiet. A relief after the noise of the battlefield and that annoying Asian boy   
insulting her. She'd just take a little nap…  
  
* * *  
  
Zechs Merquise stepped quietly into the lounge. He thought he was   
alone. After reaching and getting a drink, he turned around and jumped   
nearly a foot. Noin was asleep in a chair behind him, breathing lightly as she   
dozed. He stepped closer. She was beautiful when she was asleep…or   
awake, for that matter. He bent over and lightly kissed her forehead. "Sweet   
dreams," he whispered, then left the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Noin started awake four hours later. Another nightmare had left her   
covered in sweat and trembling. She realized she had fallen asleep in the   
lounge. Awake at last, she padded back to her room to take a shower and get   
dressed. As she walked in, she saw something on the bed. A white rose, with   
a red ribbon tied loosely around it, sat on her pillow. Noin picked it up. This   
was the eleventh one in a row. A flash of blue on the white of her sheets   
caught her eye. A note?  
  
Dearest Lady,  
Meet me at midnight tomorrow in the lounge. I will reveal my   
name to you then.   
Love always,  
X  
  
I'll go, she decided, and meet this "X". Till then, I've got work to do.   
  
* * *  
  
Zechs tossed and turned restlessly. The dreams of blood that plagued   
him were gone for now, replaced by dreams of doubt. What if she didn't   
come? Worse yet, what if she didn't return the love that burned like a fire   
inside him? A rational part of his brain became exasperated.  
  
Oh, shut up! You won't know until tomorrow, so hush and sleep!  
  
Zechs, knowing this was right, calmed and finally slept easily.   
Midnight tomorrow would come soon enough…  
  
* * *  
  
It was 11:30 now. Noin was getting ready for her meeting with "X",   
whoever he was. She had decided on her blue silk dress with the slits and the   
silver embroidery. It brought out the blue in her eyes- and her hair. Her hair   
was up, in a bun, with tendrils escaping from the bindings. To tell the truth,   
she was really uncomfortable in such an outfit. Jeans and a t-shirt were more   
like it. Oh well, it would be over soon enough. She sighed reluctantly, got   
up, and walked out of the room.   
  
* * *  
  
Zechs shifted uncomfortably. He hoped she would come. But what   
if… No, no use in doubts now. It was too late for that. He smoothed his   
black shirt, dusted off his black pants, and brushed back his platinum blonde   
mane of hair. Zechs straightened suddenly. Was that a noise? She was there!   
He stepped back into the shadows. As she entered he watched her. The blue   
dress accented her body, making shadows swirl around her and light dance   
across her, winking brightly. She was lovely… He began to speak.  
  
* * *  
  
It was 12:00. Where was "X"? Noin stepped cautiously into the room.   
A voice came from the shadows.  
  
"You look great."  
  
Noin's eyes darted over the shadows, trying to pick out a human form.   
"Who are you?"  
  
"I said I will reveal myself, and I will. First, sit down and close your   
eyes."  
  
"Why should I do that?"  
  
The voice laughed. It sounded familiar. "Because I asked you to.   
Please?" Moving slowly, she obeyed. Suddenly a presence was in front of   
her. As their lips connected, she protested.  
  
"But…I…"  
  
The voice whispered in her ear. "Shh, it's okay."   
  
As the kiss ended, she opened her eyes to see Zechs standing over her,   
a look in his eyes she'd never seen there before. Noin gasped.  
  
* * *  
  
A strange look spread over her face. Oh no, what have I done? Zechs   
thought.  
  
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't… I mean… I'm sorry," he murmured.   
  
"No, don't be," a voice answered quietly. Noin stood up and walked to   
Zechs. Her hands caressed his face, covered his shoulders, then slid down   
his arms to his hands. Their fingers intertwined. "Why did you leave the   
flowers?"  
  
Zechs' face glanced up, then looked back down. This was the question   
he had asked himself for weeks. Only now did he have an answer.   
  
"I… I love you." As soon as the words were out, he knew they were   
true. But did she return his love? The doubts and fears of the past two weeks   
rushed back, to be washed away by the miracle that happened next.   
  
"And I, you," she murmured. As her lips covered his, Zechs' hands   
drew her close. Their love wrapped them in a silver cocoon, shielding them   
from the world. Stronger than any bond, it would bind them forever.  
  
* * *  
  
When she woke the next morning, Noin found something lying upon   
her breast. It was a white rose, the last of a dozen. A slip of paper was   
attached to it, with one single word, a word that bound them with a scarlet   
thread- love.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer- I do not own Gundam Wing. It is copyrighted to Sunrise, Sotsu,   
Bandai, etc.  
  



End file.
